Belvedere di Villa Rufolo

Domenica 31 luglio
Belvedere di Villa Rufolo, ore 20.00
Asian Youth Orchestra
Direttore Joseph Bastian
Giuseppe Gibboni, violino
Musiche di Prokofiev, Paganini, Mendelssohn
Posto unico € 50

Programma

Sergej Prokofiev
Sinfonia n.1 in re maggiore, op.25 “Sinfonia classica”

Niccolò Paganini
Concerto n.1 in re maggiore per violino e orchestra

***

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
Sinfonia n.4 in la maggiore “Italiana”, op.90 (MWV N 16)

Joseph Bastian
Eugen-Jochum-Prize 2019  –  Neeme-Järvi-Prize 2016
Swiftly emerging as one of the most exciting talents of the younger generation, French-Swiss conductor Joseph Bastian is widely celebrated for his “total precision, and calm and masterful manner”, and renowned for the remarkable and tangible sense of partnership he creates with orchestral musicians.
Recent and forthcoming highlights include performances with the Bayerische Staatsoper, DRP Saarbrücken-Kaiserslautern, DSO Berlin, hr-Sinfonieorchester, Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National d’Île de France, Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya, and the SWR Symphonieorchester. In 2022, he makes his debut at the Zürich Opera Studio, conducting five performances of Haydn’s Il mondo della luna.
This builds upon the success of the last two seasons, which have seen Bastian making an impressive number of major debuts across Europe and Asia in relatively short time. These have included, amongst others, the Bamberger Symphoniker, Dresdner Philharmoniker, Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Nürnberger Symphoniker, Orchestra Dijon-Bourgogne, Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège, Orchestre symphonique et lyrique de Nancy, Orquesta Ciudad de Granada, and the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra Tokyo.
The former Principal Bass Trombonist of the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (‘BRSO’) (2004-2017), Bastian burst into the international spotlight in February 2016, when he stepped in at the last moment to conduct the orchestra in three subscription concerts – replacing an indisposed Robin Ticciati – with the blessing of his Chief Conductor and conducting supporter, Mariss Jansons. Embracing a demanding programme of Brahms, Berg, and Elgar, Bastian “took over in a very sovereign way as a conductor, transforming this unexpected debut into an artistic triumph” (Abendzeitung München). The event was widely heralded as a “sensational debut” – and Bastian was immediately re-invited. Bastian’s recent projects with the BRSO have included conducting the finals of the ARD International Music Competition (2018), and a contemporary programme of Boulez and Reich. During the performance of the latter, Bastian was awarded the prestigious Eugen-Jochum-Preis for Conducting (2019).
Born in France to a French-Swiss family, Bastian began his musical journey by studying the cello, trombone, and composition. After studies in trombone at the University of Music Saar, he performed as a member of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra under Claudio Abbado and Pierre Boulez, and the Orchestra of the Academy of the Munich Philharmonic, before taking up his position as Principal Bass Trombonist with the BRSO.
During his tenure with the orchestra (a period which afforded him first-hand observation of the rehearsal techniques and performance styles of many of the world’s leading conductors), Bastian was helped and supported in his own conducting studies by Mariss Jansons, with whom he worked closely as an Assistant Conductor. He also worked as an Assistant to Daniel Harding (BR Choir, Symphony Orchestra, and Academy), and Vladimir Jurowski (London Philharmonic Orchestra), whilst receiving masterclasses and support from such artists as Bernard Haitink (Festival Strings Lucerne), Jorma Panula (Noord Nederlands Orkest), and David Zinman (Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich).
Bastian further honed his skills as Chief Conductor of the Abaco-Orchestra of the University of Munich (2011-2018), touring the orchestra to such major European venues as Musikverein Wien. He was awarded the prestigious Neeme Järvi Prize at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival & Academy (2016), and went on to take the Gstaad Festival Orchestra on international tour during the 2016/2017 season. In spring 2018, Bastian took the decision to resign his position as Principal Bass Trombone, in order to dedicate himself fully to developing his rapidly expanding career on the conducting podium.
In addition to his work with the Zürich Opera Studio, Bastian’s operatic experience includes productions with BRSO, Bourgas State Opera and Kammeroper München. Alongside the major symphonic repertoire, coupled with a dedication to the championing of contemporary works (including the recent world premieres of Fredrik Högberg’s Violin Concerto, and Aziza Sadikova’s Percussion Concerto), Bastian also has a keen interest in historically informed performance practice. During his earlier career as an orchestral musician, his expert knowledge of instruments such as the sackbut, serpent, and ophicleide saw him perform not only with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, but also with other such world-class ensembles as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Giuseppe Gibboni
Born in 2001, he graduated at the age of 15 with top marks and Honorable Mention at the Martucci Conservatory of Salerno, under the guidance of Maestro Maurizio Aiello. In October 2015, at the age of only 14, he was admitted to the Stauffer Academy of Cremona in the class of Maestro Salvatore Accardo. In 2016 he received the Diploma of Honor at the High Specialization courses at the Chigiana Academy of Siena. Since 2016 he has been attending the Advanced Specialization course at the Perosi Academy in Biella in the class of Maestro Pavel Berman. He is currently studying in the class of M° Pierre Amoyal at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.
He participated in various national and international competitions, always ranking first: CAM Castellaneta, Barletta, Eratai, Denza, Trofeo Città di Greci, Campagnano di Roma, Puccini – Città di Eboli, Media Musicale, Antonello da Caserta, Jacopo Napoli, Campi Flegrei, Don V. Vitti, Napoli Nova, Luciani di Cosenza, Caccamo Benedetto Albanese, P. Mandanici – Barcellona P. di Gotto, 2013 Lions Prize San Severino Market, A. Vivaldi -Sapri Competition, Orfeo Stillo- Cosenza, A. Apreda – Sorrento, V. Scaramuzza Crotone, Paisiello Lecce, City of Magliano Sabina – Rome.
Numerous awards stand out:
– XXIII A. Postacchini International Violin Competition (with special prize for the performance of Paganini’s capricci) – 2016;
– L. Kogan International Competition of Brussels – 2017;
– 3rd prize (with 1st not awarded) at the prestigious G. Enescu International Violin Competition of Bucharest.
– In October 2020 he won the 1st prize at the 36th Valsesia Musica competition.
– He won the 56th Paganini Award of Genoa, in addition to the special prize for the best performance of the Paganini concert, a special prize for the greatest recognition by the public and a special prize for the best interpretation of Paganini’s Capricci.
He performed as a soloist in various prestigious theaters and halls such as: Al Bustan International Festival in Beirut; Tchaikovsky Hall of the Moscow Conservatory; Italian Embassy in Moscow; – Dal Verme Theater – Mi; Sala Royale of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels; Augusteo Na Theater, Francia Messina Theater, Verdi SA Theater, Rendano CS Theater, Salone dei Cinquecento Palazzo Vecchio of Florence, Teatro dell’ Aquila of Fermo, Auditorium O. Neiemajer of Ravello, Castle of San Leo – Rimini “San Leo Festival”, W. Walton Foundation of Ischia, Teatro Basso – AP; Verdi Theater of Trieste; Maruccino Theater of Chieti; Auditorium G. Arvedi, Violin Museum – Cremona, Paisiello Theater of Lecce, Bellini Theater – Catania; Bellini Theater – Naples; Petruzzelli Theater – Bari; Villani Social Theater in Biella.
In November 2016 he attended the RAI 1 program in collaboration with UNICEF “Prodigi – La Musica è Vita”, winning the program and he was therefore named the “Italian Prodigy”.
In 2017 he received an award from the Chamber of Deputies from the President Laura Boldrini on the National Music Day and also the “Charlot” International Award as a young promise of music.
He recorded a CD, bearing his name, with the Warner Classics Record Company accompanied by the Busoni orchestra conducted by M.Belli. In September 2017 he performed a concert at the Bocconi University in Milan playing on the Stradivari from the LAM collection (ex Scotland 1734) on behalf of the Museo del Violino of Cremona. He performed at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow at the end of the “Il Mito di Stradivari” exhibition. He has been an artist of the SI-YO Foundation of New York since 2017. He is an honorary member of RotarAct. He plays a 1752
violin loaned to him by Dr. Stefano Arancio on behalf of the “Adopt a Musician” project in Lugano. In december 2021 he performed in duo with the guitarist Carlotta Dalia at the Dubai Expo, representing the excellence of music on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Culture. Also in December 2021 at the invitation of the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella holds a concert in duo with Carlotta Dalia at the Palazzo del Quirinale of the Presidency of the Italian Republic, live on the national radio RadioRai3.
“Giuseppe Gibboni is one of the most extraordinary talents I have ever known. He possesses a perfect intonation, an amazing technique in all its aspects, a very fascinating sound and a sincere musicality. I am sure he will have all the successes he deserves.”- Salvatore Accardo

The award-winning Asian Youth Orchestra, recipient of Japan’s Praemium Imperiale and Nikkei Asia Prize, is counted “amongst the finest youth orchestras around the world,” (San Francisco Chronicle)
Selected annually through a strict audition process, the 100-plus orchestra members represent mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. They are together for six weeks, initially for a three-week Rehearsal Camp in Hong Kong, then for a three-week international concert tour with celebrated conductors and solo artists.
Cellists Yo-Yo Ma, Steven Isserlis, Mischa Maisky, Wang Jian, Alban Gerhardt and Alisa Weilerstein, violinists Vadim Repin, Sarah Chang, Gidon Kremer, Gil Shaham, Elmar Oliveira, Young Uck Kim, Stefan Jackiw and Cho-Liang Lin, soprano Elly Ameling, the Beaux Arts Trio, pianists Alicia de Larrocha, Gerhard Oppitz, Cecile Licad and Leon Fleisher are among those who have performed with AYO under the direction of conductor James Judd, Joseph Bastian, music director emeritus Sergiu Comissiona, Alexander Schneider, Tan Dun, and the orchestra’s co-founders, Yehudi Menuhin and Richard Pontzious.
Since its inaugural performances in 1990, the award-winning Orchestra, which made its Lucerne Festival debut this year, has played over 400 concerts in Asia, Europe, the US and Australia to an audience of more than one million concertgoers. Millions more have seen and heard the orchestra around the world on CNN, CNBC, NHK and Radio and Television Hong Kong.
A staggering 25,000 musicians, ranging in age from 17 to 27, have auditioned for AYO. Those selected for the full scholarship program study with an exceptional artist-faculty of principals from the Baltimore, Boston and Minnesota symphony orchestras, the Bergamo Festival Orchestra (Italy), Milan’s La Scala Opera, La Fenice Teatro Venice, Teatro Carlo Felice Genoa, Brussels’ Monnaie Opera, the Orchestra Della Radio Svizzera Italiana, the Triple Helix Trio and the Boston and Bergamo’s Donizetti music conservatories.
Playing to critical acclaim — “Performs with Precision,” Washington Post, “Educates and Exhilarates,” Daily Californian and standing ovations in the finest European Summer Festivals and concert halls around the world, the Asian Youth Orchestra has played more concerts in more cities in China than any other orchestra based outside the mainland. AYO was the first international orchestra in 50 years to perform in Vietnam, premiered Tan Dun’s Symphony 1997 with cellist Yo-Yo Ma marking Hong Kong’s reunification with China, has performed in the White House, at the United Nations, in New York’s Avery Fisher Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, in the 7000-seat Wolf Trap Center, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Berlin’s Konzerthaus, Italy’s Ravello and Merano festivals, the Sydney’s Opera House, Prague’s treasured Smetana Hall, Brussels’ Palais des Beaux-Arts, and virtually every major concert hall across Japan and Southeast Asia.
A tuition-free cultural exchange summer program that involves Asia’s brightest young musicians in exceptional opportunities for study and performance in an international environment, the Asian Youth Orchestra is designed to ignite a pride for what can be achieved by Asian musicians in Asia, while affecting a positive influence on the brain and talent drain that continues to frustrate all Asian nations.
The AYO is a tax-exempt non-profit organization qualified under Section 88 of the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Ordinance. Contributions from the United States are tax-exempt through Give2Asia.